Not "Better" but "Different": How to Make Your Own Fortune

One rape survivor spent years in therapy and decided to press charges against her rapist.

One rape survivor made changes to her life, work and cut off all ties with her family.

And your path may be completely different.

You're looking forward. You're following your own path. Is someone else's path better? Maybe. Do they do it differently? Does your thing (stuffed rabbit, healing from trauma, strawberry pie) look different than theirs? Yes. Is that "better"? No. It's different.

Don't stop doing your thing because someone else's way may look better or "normal". Never doubt that your path is valid. Their thing isn't better. It's different because they are different from you. So above all else, keep doing your thing. And consider claiming that path more robustly. Do it with intention. Make it more "you" than it is now:

• Join a Twitter chat and claim your expertise about the topic;

• Tell us why you do the thing you do or why you chose the path you did;

• Add your name to an online discussion, blog comment section or Facebook post.

When you embrace your difference, what makes you unique, you do three things for yourself:

1) You worry and stress less. Looking inward moves you away from angst over whether someone is doing better, moving faster, or more "okay" than we are.

2) You stay in our own lane. When you're there, you're better able to concentrate on you. Not fall into the "compare is despair" trap.

3) You are more effective. Not spending time on looking at other people's paths, allows you to focus time more smartly on you.

Give "better" away. Your path can work. Just do it with intention.